Covalent Lewis Structures Notes

These flashcards cover key concepts related to covalent compounds and Lewis structures, including definitions and properties.

Covalent Compounds

Compounds formed by sharing pairs of electrons between atoms.

Properties of Covalent Compounds

Covalent compounds do not conduct electricity, generally have low melting points, and are often soluble in water (with exceptions).

Octet Rule

The principle that atoms tend to form compounds in ways that each atom has eight electrons in its valence shell.

Exceptions to the Octet Rule

Hydrogen and Boron are exceptions; hydrogen requires only 2 electrons, and boron is stable with 6.

Valence Electrons

Electrons in the outer shell of an atom that are involved in forming bonds.

Electronegativity

A measure of the tendency of an atom to attract a bonding pair of electrons.

Lone Pair of Electrons

A pair of electrons that are not involved in bonding and belong solely to one atom.

Drawing Covalent Lewis Structures

The process of representing molecules using symbols for atoms and dots for electrons.

Shared Electrons

Electrons that are shared between two atoms in a covalent bond.

Central Atom

The atom in a Lewis structure that is bonded to all other atoms.

Lone Pairs

Pairs of valence electrons that are not shared with another atom.